Hotel Mercure Wien Zentrum is in the center the old city, a 5-minute walk from St. Stephen's Cathedral and upmarket shopping on Kärtner Strasse and Graben. The hip city beaches on the Danube Canal are a few steps away, and the Schwedenplatz U-Bahn Station is a 4-minute walk.

Rathausplatz: 20 minutes

Rathausplatz at the Neo-Gothic town hall, a 20-minute walk, is always buzzing - there are outdoor eateries and opera in summer and a bustling Christmas market and ice rink in winter. Art fans can head to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, a 10-minute walk along the Ring boulevard.

Austrian food and beers

The airy, contemporary Kornhaeuslturm restaurant is the place to start your day at the breakfast buffet, and later you can return for afternoon coffee and cake, or Wiener schnitzel for dinner. A glass of Austrian beer in the bar is the perfect way to unwind after an eventful day.

Warm tones, free WiFi

The 154 air-conditioned rooms are decorated in warm, welcoming colors, and have free WiFi to keep you connected. There's a desk if you’re working, a minibar and a flat-screen TV with cable channels for when you want to relax, and a safe to keep your laptop secure.